Top 5 Reasons to Use a Cash Based Physical Therapist

Cash PT is on the rise and the standard insurance model is out. So why are people choosing to not use insurance to get PT? Well I’m here to tell you…it is well worth the investment! Not only for quality care, but financially as well.

1. Insurance will try and dictate what you can and can’t do.

Ever see your PT on the computer the whole time? Yup, it’s all about pleasing insurance companies while you are stuck not getting the quality care you need. “Timed codes” are a term in the PT world that means you have to do a certain code for a specific amount of time before it will be covered by the insurance company.

For instance, when performing a specific exercise, you need to continue for at least 8 minutes for it to be eligible for reimbursement. To qualify for an additional code, you would need to continue for another 8 minutes.

This is the reason many companies have productivity standards that means each therapist has to bill a certain amount of codes with each person to meet the standard. This leads to multiple patients in an hour because there’s no guarantee that insurance will cover everyone’s specific times.

I used to work in a clinic where, I was juggling 4 different patients all within the same 30-45 minutes. How can you be giving your 100% to a patient when you are being pulled in different directions?? You just can’t. Which is why these PTs are often burnt out as well.

So you guessed it! Cash PT means no timed codes, no multiple patients per hour— just a happy physical therapist providing one on one care.

2. You save more money in the long run going to a cash based PT

Most clinics will have you come in 2-3 times per week for at least 6-8 weeks. You have to consider high deductibles, copays and visit limits based on your insurance. The average copay for a physical therapist in NJ is anywhere from $40-$90 per session, with insurance! Multiply that by 3 times per week and you’re spending $120-$270 a week, and then multiply that by at least 6-8 weeks and you are spending $1080 -$1440 for your treatment plan...and a lot of times you aren't the only one being treated at that time and your treatment is 30-45 minutes.

Someone with a copay of $65 per visit going 2-3x per week for 8 weeks means you’re spending well over $1000 during the course of that treatment, and often times only getting 15-20 minutes of one-on-one time with the PT.

On average, I typically only see my clients 1x/week for a full hour. In most cases, this continues for 4 weeks and I try to start the weaning process to 1x every 2 weeks and so on. This allows you to have ample time to really work on your specified program and start to see results. This also includes a virtual component to hold you accountable between sessions, unlike the traditional home exercise program you get printed on paper and the PT never changes it. So over the course of your treatment you are spending less than what you would with insurance based PT and you are getting a full hour of one-on-one direct care with me. Not only does this end up saving you money, but it saves your time by not having to schedule 3 visits a week and it might even get you better faster with focused care. 

Depending on your out of network benefits, some insurance companies will accept a superbill from your out of network PT and reimburse you either fully or partially for your visits. This can be provided upon request from your cash PT.

3. More one on one time with your PT

I used to work somewhere patients would get passed between different therapists to accommodate overbooked schedules. While some patient’s enjoyed interacting with different therapists, I found that 90% of people prefer to stay with one therapist. Why? Because they had that rapport already built and the primary therapist knew every detail of their reason for coming. Since the therapists were so busy, there was often no communication about patients when switching leading to poor care. 

My purpose for getting into physical therapy was because I wanted to be able to take that journey with you from beginning to end. I want to be right alongside you, seeing your trials and setbacks and turning those into big wins. Physical therapy should be a personal experience and a lot of times emotional. A lot of my clients are active individuals so when they are having pain or discomfort or trying to get back from a surgery, it is not only physically tough, but mentally it is draining. Being able to have a private session and a full hour to work on things allows us to build a relationship which in turn helps with mental stamina and energy!

4. Freedom to address different parts of the body within the same session or treatment plan.

This one was always crazy to me, but insurance companies require a whole new treatment plan in order to address a different issue, including a new script!  Say you initially start PT due to an elbow injury but your knee started acting up last weekend. I hate to break it to you, but you will have to start a whole new treatment plan for that according to insurance standards. Unless your PT can somehow justify your knee pain being related to your elbow pain…..but that’s a far stretch.

If you’re seeing me for shoulder pain and tell me your ankle has been killing you, you can bet we will be addressing that issue so it doesn’t turn into something bigger. To me this just makes sense.

5. Shop Local!

Going to see a cash PT allows you to support your local economy. When you shop local you create a sense of community. You support your neighbor…and in a lot of cases, they will be supporting other local businesses. I’ve always appreciated quaint local businesses, but since starting my own cash PT business, I have first hand realized how much the support means!

When you are invested in your health, it can be hard to find the right clinician for you. Take the time to research and ask questions. Your health is more than just going through the motions. You have to be motivated to make a change and put in the work. But this pays off so much more than a quick fix. Soak in the knowledge and take action. Take control of your care!